One Night
by Mage Coleman
Summary: This is how I always imagined the Yule Ball should have been like. Of course, I was Ginny. More chapters coming. HarryGinny
1. Getting Ready

This is how I always imagined it should have happened, the students are wearing dresses and tuxedos though, instead of dress robes. For this to work, Ginny doesn't have a date, and third years are allowed to go to the Yule Ball

**Getting Ready**

It was the day of the Yule Ball. Everyone was excited. Hermione and Ginny were in Hermione's room getting ready.

"What are you going to be wearing?" Ginny asked Hermione.

"Oh, just this old dress of my mother's, she was wearing it when she met my father. Hermione pulled it out of her school trunk. Ginny gasped.

"It's gorgeous!" she exclaimed. The dress was made of a shimmering, periwinkle material. It was straight down and reached to just below her ankles. The sleeves were full length, and attached by a length of cloth, to the back of the gown, like wings.

Hermione smiled. "When my mother heard we needed a gown for school this year, she started to freak. She was running all over the house, looking for some box. Then, she checked the attic, and the box was stuffed right behind an old, grand piano." Hermione laughed. "I was so surprised. The dress _is_ beautiful." She looked at it tenderly. Then, Hermione looked at Ginny, concerned. "Are you even going? I mean, I know the guy you wanted to go with didn't ask you…"

Ginny looked stricken, then she smiled. "Oh, don't worry. I don't mind going by myself. Do you honestly think I would miss the dance of a lifetime? Besides, there is going to be so much gossip…" Ginny laughed; though it sounded strained. Then, she smiled again.

"When mother heard about it, she and my older brothers and I all pitched in and got a dress. Then, we used charm work to fix it up." Her eyes glowed as she pulled it out from the box that she had put on Hermione's bed earlier. This time, it was Hermione's turn to gasp.

"Merlin's beard, Ginny," was all she could say. The gown was of a deep, rich, green and cream color. The gown was strapless. It cinched at the waist and then went out into a bell shape at the bottom. On top, was the green, and at the waist it split in two so a triangle on the front was missing. Underneath, you could see the cream skirt. The petticoats were also cream. Around the waist, though, were a strand of small rocks.

"Ginny, why are there rocks around the waist?"

Ginny looked at Hermione sheepishly. "Well, my mom and I both agreed that some jewels around the waist would look real nice, but we don't exactly have a lot of money. I was wondering, because my mom and I aren't that good at transfiguration, if you could transfigure the rocks into emeralds and pearls, I mean-not real ones, I know that would be wrong, it's just, you're the best in the school and…" Ginny started to ramble.

Hermione cut her off, smiling. "Don't worry, I can do look alike, it might take a while, though."

Ginny sighed, "Good, but I have two more strands, one for my hair and a necklace."

Hermione smiled again, "Don't worry, I can do it"

Half an hour later, after a lot of spellwork, the girls were finished. Hermione and Ginny took turns soaking for an hour at a time and got dressed. Hermione had used so much hair straightener, Ginny thought the room would smell until the next millennia. Hermione, though, thought Ginny had used too much hair spray, even though her hair was beautiful. It was in tresses and piled high on her head, with the emeralds and pearls woven throughout. Hermione's was in a bun, with one curl dangling down. When the two girls looked at themselves and each other in the mirror, they were speechless.

"We're beautiful," stated Hermione in amazement. Ginny could do nothing but agree.


	2. Ginny's Thoughts

**Ginny's Thoughts**

It was time for Hermione to go meet her date. Ginny looked at her, smiling. "Good luck, I hope you have fun," she said.

Hermione looked at her inquisitively, for the first time in her life, actually confused. "Why would I need luck? I'm just going to a dance."

Ginny chuckled, "Because when Ron sees you, he's going to go berserk."

"You really think so?" Hermione asked excitedly, blushing.

"I know so girl, it is soooooooooo obvious he has a MAJOR crush on you. You're both denying it, you too are perfect for each other." Ginny laughed out loud.

Hermione blushed again. Then, she put on a stern face. "Well, my dear, I am afraid you are sadly mistaken. If you believe I am going to date that idiot, freckle-faced, ugly specimen, you are sadly mistaken," she said haughtily. After saying this, Hermione walked out of the room in a very dignified manner. Ginny was laughing hysterically.

Once Ginny had calmed down, she walked down to the common room. She was the only one left. All the others had gone down to the great hall to meet their dates. _Well, _she thought. _It's just me, all alone again._ Ginny stared into the empty fireplace, thinking. _Hermione is such a dear, I hope she has fun tonight. _Ginny sighed. _If only I could be having just as much fun. _Her eyes hardened. _If he doesn't want me, I don't want him. Why should I? He thinks so highly of himself and he's not even that handsome. I don't know why all those idiotic girls wanted to go out with him in the first place. I'll have plenty of fun without a date. I'll dance with all of the boys, make him jealous. If there is some sort of dancing or singing contest, I'll blow him off his feet. Then, when he comes crawling back, begging me to go out with him, I'll stare straight into his face and say "NO!" Why should I, who has loved him all these years, be kind to him when he has never so much as glanced at me-the jerk. He doesn't deserve me. _Then, Ginny's heart softened some, and she started to cry. _Who am I kidding, I love him. I love him more than anyone could imagine. If he can't love me back, I'll love him from afar. I'll go to the dance, and I'll have fun. But everyone I dance with, everyone who talks to me, I'll pretend they are him. That is how my night will be-one night of absolute fantasy._

Ginny stood up, walking towards the door, smoothing her skirts out at the same time. _I'll give him a night to remember._


	3. Entering the Ball

Entering the Dance 

Ginny was late. She walked into the Great Hall, magically transformed to look like a huge ballroom. Candles hung from the ceiling, colored lights circled the dance floor. Shimmering, pearl-colored cloths covered the tables arranged around the room. She could see Him dancing with his date, out where the other Triwizard Champion's and their dates were dancing. He didn't look like He was having much fun. "Good," Ginny thought, "Let him suffer." She didn't notice the looks she got as she descended the stairs, gliding into the room.

Crossing the floor, Ginny went to the punch table. She took a glass and sipped it, discarding the glass once it was only half-empty. She saw Dumbledore and McGonagall dancing together; she smiled. _If only I could be that happy._ Ginny sighed. Spotting Neville, she quickly crossed the floor. "Would you like to dance?" Ginny passed the time dancing. Every boy she asked replied, "yes." How could they not, when so beautiful a girl as she wanted to dance with _them._ But the one boy she never asked was Him. He wouldn't want to dance with her. Not when he was drooling after that Cho Chang. She was a stupid, little, rotten… _Control yourself, Ginny! Goodness!_ When the end of the dance was nearing, Ginny spotted Hermione, gliding across the floor with Victor Krum. When they went to sit down, she walked up to them, smiling. Hermione excused herself and followed Ginny.

"Having fun?" she asked Ginny. "Has he asked you to dance?"

"As if. Come on, Hermione, you know all he wants to do is drool over Cho. Are _you_ having fun?"

"Oh, it's been wonderful, Victor is so kind. The only bad part was when your brother had to be such a jerk about me dancing with him. 'He's the enemy. He's just using you.' Well, I'll show him." Hermione stopped. "Of course, no offense to you, Ginny. It's just…"

Ginny cut her off. "Yeah, I know, Ron can be a real pig sometimes, can't he?" Putting a falsely cheerful smile on her face, "Well, I'm just going to go outside, get some fresh air. Have fun Hermione, promise? Just ignore Ron, he's a jerk."

"I'll have fun, don't worry. Are you sure you don't want me to talk to Him? I mean, he's not nearly as stupid as your brother is…"

"No! I mean, I'm fine, it's all right. Now, you go have some fun. I'll be outside if you need me. You know how boys can be."

"If you're sure. Have fun Ginny, okay? Tonight's a night for happiness, to meet new people, romance. No sulking." Smiling, Hermione hurried back to join Victor.

Ginny headed out the door, unaware of Hermione's true intentions, to finally tell Him how Ginny felt.


	4. The Encounter

**The Encounter**

Hermione glided over to wear Harry was sitting, sulking. "Harry," she said, glaring at him.

The young man looked at Hermione in shock. "What's wrong?" he asked, standing up.

Hermione just glared at him. "You're such a prat, you know that?" Harry looked at her in bewilderment. Before he could speak, however, Hermione continued on, "All this year, you've been drooling over Cho Chang, and that's it. You haven't even been able to see the beautiful young girl who passes you by every day, who thinks about you all, the time, who wishes you would even notice her…" Hermione's voice trailed off as she saw Harry's look of confusion. "Harry!" she exclaimed. "Just think about it! Harry," she said, "follow me."

Harry spluttered a few words as Hermione dragged him over to the windows. "What-how-why?" But Hermione cut him off.

"Do you see that figure in the distance, the one in the green and cream colored dress?"

Harry nodded dumbly. She was beautiful.

"Do you know who she is?"

Harry shook his head, yet again showing his naïveté. "Who?" he asked, dumbfounded.

Hermione sighed. "You really are a lot stupider than you look." Harry was so caught up in the figure's beauty, he didn't even notice Hermione's insult. The girl was breathtaking, and yet, so familiar. When the girl turned her head, he noticed her flaming red hair.

"My God," he said. "It's not-"

Hermione smiled, "She loves you, Harry. She always has and she always will. Now go!" she told him, shooing him out the door and back outside.

Harry walked outside in a daze, as he strolled along the path, he stopped. _Could it really be?_ He wondered. _Is it really her? I always thought… _But Harry's thoughts were cut off as he stepped out onto the patio were the girl was standing. The stars shone down on the enclosure, surrounded by a row of roses and strewn with flowers. The light from the great Hall could barely be seen. A small stone bench was positioned near the walkway into the enclosure. Ginny was crying.


End file.
